As such, it is uncertain whether Neal will continue to start. The last time Ford went out, Neal was removed from the starting lineup in order to give him more time with the Spurs' second unit.

Neal's previous stint as backup point guard gives him confidence he can do it again. Neal's teammates have grown confident in him as well.

“At the beginning, we were not sure,” Ginobili said “During the rodeo trip, he did really well. He was starting to get used to it.”

Even Ford was impressed with how Neal handled himself.

“He was playing out of position, but he did a great job of picking up the slack,” Ford said before his latest injury.

In his season and a half with the Spurs, Neal has become known more for his clutch shooting — his overtime-forcing 3-pointer against the Clippers in a Spurs win in Los Angeles in February, for example — and less for his playmaking ability.

In the past, toggling between positions has ruined lesser combo guards (see Mason Jr., Roger). By contrast, Neal's initial turn as an emergency point guard was hardly a disaster.

This time, he will enjoy the added bonus of playing next to a healthy Ginobili, who at times can act as a de facto point guard.

Ginobili was out with a broken hand for the duration of Ford's first stop on the injured list.

“He's basically a pressure release,” Neal said. “When all else fails, you can call a play for Manu.”

One day, Neal would love nothing more than to return to his familiar role as a score-first shooting guard.

In the meantime, Neal will just accept his NBA minutes however — and wherever — they come.

“At the end of the day, if I get stuck with (point guard) duties I have to perform,” Neal said. “I can't lay an egg.”